A Novel Vaccine Employing Non-Replicating Rabies Virus Expressing Chimeric SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Domains: Functional Inhibition of Viral/Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Complexes.

The emergence of the novel ß-coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in a global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Clinical studies have documented that potentially severe neurological symptoms are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, thereby suggesting direct CNS penetration by the virus. Prior studies have demonstrated that the destructive neurological effects of rabies virus (RABV) infections are mediated by CNS transport of the virus tightly bound to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR).